Frawley talks up the Tigers

[Rosy]

Frawley talks up the Tigers
Alan Shiell
afl.com.au
8:39:04 AM Sun 4 May, 2003


Richmond coach Danny Frawley has used the Tigers’ most recent fightback – against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night – as another example of how they have improved this season.

The Tigers trailed by 28 points – 5.1 to 0.3 – 20 minutes into the first quarter but still managed to claw their way to a brief one-point lead – 6.6 to 6.5 – at the eight-minute mark of the third term, before Port kicked away for a 27-point win.


“We talked about coming over here to have a win and we expected to win, and we didn’t,” Frawley said of a loss that followed Richmond’s four successive wins against the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, St Kilda and Hawthorn.

“We’re disappointed with the loss but we’ve improved from 12 months ago when we were here. (Port beat Richmond by 84 points – 23.16 to 10.10 – at AAMI Stadium in round 12 last season).

“We’ve got a hell of a lot of improvement to go, but I think our group is starting to get a lot of steel behind them. To start like we did with a young team and then to be able to fight back …

“I don’t think there are going to be too many sides win four in a row in this competition, but our mindset was right and we were keen to win, and we didn’t.”

Asked to name some positives from the match, Frawley said: “Andy Krakouer’s form down forward was terrific. I thought Chrissy Newman, being a youngster and being asked to do such a big job on Nick Stevens …

“I couldn’t care less about the stats; I just thought it was a real good, honest effort from both of those kids.

“Stevens played really well, too, but I think Chrissy Newman’s developed and has gone to a new level, which is great for us. We need some more help in the midfield. Probably taking him out of the midfield hurt our defence a little bit.

“I thought our defence stuck to their guns most of the night. I thought (Andrew) ‘Chopper’ Kellaway, against the odds early, had about five or six different opponents and probably saved four goals in the last quarter by sheer desperation.

“(Darren) Gaspar on Tredrea? I don’t think Tredrea had much of an impact.

“I thought (Greg) Stafford being asked to do both ends of the ground was probably a little too much to ask. He was good in the ruck and around the ground, and then we had to throw him forward. He’s been standing up for us.”

Frawley agreed the lack of at least another key forward had hurt Richmond.

“It does on a big ground like this,” he said. “If it had been played at Telstra Dome or somewhere like that where you can get away with having only one tall … but that’s not an excuse. We’ll cop it on the chin. Port was too good.

“We would have loved to have had a couple more talls out there but they’re not there at the moment. I think our players are really playing with a lot of heart and their ability to just keep at it...

“You can’t afford to give quality opposition starts, especially on their home turf, but that’s been two weeks in a row. Our four weeks before that were really good.

“We just couldn’t get our hands on the ball in both instances (against Hawthorn and Port). That’s all it is. If you want to control a game, you’ve got to get your hands on it. To Port’s credit, they came out of the blocks and that was the winning margin in the end.

“Port are a terrific side. We knew going into the game we had to take our chances, make the most of our chances, and we didn’t do that.”

 

[TigerFurious]

oh dear!

I thought Miller's job was to keep Frawley's foot out of his mouth.

 

[TigersGoddess]

Andrew Chopper Kellaway?
I thought he was Chubba?

 

[Rosy]

We would have loved to have had a couple more talls out there but they’re not there at the moment.

Seems Danny doesn't have a real good opinion of Royce then. He'd kicked 4 goals the week before for Coburg, and he'd have to be an option in the goal square.

Agree about Gas. I thought he was good. Tredrea went a long way from goal to get a kick.

I thought Newmo's game was great but didn't give him a vote because Stevens was damaging. I'm really glad Danny backed Chris because the experience would be invaluable.

I don't like the thought of that game being used as a measurement of our improvement.
Top players being so out of form is no improvement on last year at all.
If guys like Tivva and Johnson played to their ability, and a few others took a bit of care and thought about their disposal a bit the game last night would have been very winnable.

 

[Koalalill]

Home finally My travel report to follow shortly and a bit of dirt from my flight home ;D

I thought Chris Newman was terrific and Staf great. I agree, Rosy, I was glad to see Danny "back" Newman.

As for Tivva - he was tagged and niggled at alot off the ball - I am sure it didn't show up on the TV.

I think last night also showed how important Johnson is to us - he struggled we struggled.

 

[iLoVeNeWmAn]

Yep, Newman's getting better and better with each game and showed he can perform in the middle which is good news for us. Our youngsters in Newman, Rodan, Krak, Coughlan - all seem to be in our top 6 - 7 players each week which is fantastic for our future.

On a negative note, besides the above mentioned, Staff, Chaffey and to a lesser extent Cameron, IMO our more experienced players who we need to stand up in the tougher games never seem to be able to do it.

I'm talking about the usual suspects - Bowden (did nothing), Tivendale (tagged completely out of the game), Zantuck (playing with no confidence whatsoever), Hilton (took a few good marks but that's about it), and Johnson who was not on his game.

Until these blokes can stand up on 'big occassion games' we will hover around the eight and ultimately will miss out on finals action yet again.

Injuries have completely stuffed our game plan where any club would struggle without the likes we have out. We need at least 2 of the big 5 or 6 we have out to compete with the best - this week against the Bombers could be a shalacking. (no Richo, Ottens, Cambo, Holland, D. Kellaway or Blumfield). Can't see where or how we're going to win this one.

 

[Parker]

This week will be tough , we may not win but i would be ropeable if we got thrashed. Realistically we are only without 4 players who you would say for certain are in our best 18..Kellaway as good a player he has been is finished. Blumfield on the form of the last few years would be struggling to be in our best 18 which leaves only Houlihan as the other possibility but as good as he has been for us he is no world beater and is hardly irreplacable.
I am not sure of the status of essendons injured players but they probably have 4-5 of their better players in doubt too plus they are coming of a 6 day break after playing in fairly warm conmditions in Perth.
Essendon supporters may have pretensions of still being a gun side but they are just another middle of the ladder side.

I haven't seen last nights game so i can't comment
on Zantucks performance but its a little harsh to bracket him with senior players like Bowden who continually let us down in pressure games. Over the last year and a bit he would have to be one of our most consistent players hardly ever being beaten.